Well, I know it has been almost 2 months since I wrote last. I have been kind of discouraged. The doctors office did submit my information to the insurance company. At about 3 weeks after it was submitted, I kept getting this feeling that I should call the insurance company to check the status of things. I finally called. It was a good thing that i did because apparently a mere 3 days after the dr's office had submitted the authorization, it was reviewed and returned back to the dr's office because they wanted more paperwork. So, I called the dr's office to find out what the insurance company needed. They said that they had not yet heard from the insurance company! ARRGGHH!!! I told her that the insurance company e mailed her on the 11th of January. She found the correspondence and called me back. The insurance company needed me to get a psych eval (even though the website says that it is not required) and they needed to see a total of 6 dr visits in a 2 year period where my primary dr & I spoke about my weight & charted it. The next step for me was to call my primary dr and see how many charted visits we had. Every stinkin time I go to the dr we talk about weight but he does not always chart it because it is such a given. So after speaking with him, we realized that I had 4. So, I made an appointment to see him again to specifically talk about weight. I also e mailed my marriage counselor to see if he would be willing to do my psych eval. He obliged and we completed that and the dr has the letter from him.
So, now I am 1 dr visit away from being able to resubmit. I have my 6th and final (hopefully) dr's appointment with my primary dr on Friday morning. I will also be getting a letter of medical necessity from him at that time. So, I am praying that we will be able to submit to insurance on Monday, March 8th. That is exactly 2 months from out prior submit.
I just can't wait to get this surgery approved & scheduled. This is something that I have been wanting to do for a very long time. I am planning on updating as often as possible so that i can remember everything that I went through during this process.
Wednesday, March 3, 2010
Wednesday, January 6, 2010
Submitted to INSURANCE
Well, on the 15th of December, I went to see the dietician. We talked about my eating habits and all of the necessary vitamins and protien that I am going to need after surgery. I feel like the appointment was informative. She answered a ton of my questions. It was definetly worth the $7o spent to see her.
On the 23rd of December, I was finally able to have my labs drawn. I had gone by several times on my way to work, but they were really crowded and so I had to keep coming back. Finally I had it done so that was good. The technician took tons of blood. The final count was 17 vials!
On January 4, I had to go see the doctor again to go over my labs and to submit the authorization to insurance. Man was this appointment shocking! The first issue was that I am completely vitamin deficient in all areas except calcium. So I have to start taking vitamins. Then it came to my liver function, my levels were elevated. Then came my thyroid! OMGosh! The PA proceeds to tell me that my test results for my thyroid are disturbing and that I need to go see my PCP to figure out what the issue is. They will not do surgery until my thyroid is ok. So, I am now crying. I have come so close and now I am at a standstill!!! The PA tells me that they will not submit to insurance until this is cleared up. Apparently she felt bad for me because she left the room to go talk to the insurance girl. She comes back in and says that they will submit to insurance but they will not move forward with surgery until I am all clear. (insurance approval can take 60 days) So, she also tells me that she will call my PCP to let him know the status of things. I also call my PCP.
About an hour later, I hear from my PCP (Dr. Desai). Dr. Desai tells me that the test results make no sense. The contradict each other. He wants me to retake them. So, that night, I had my labs drawn.
Yesterday morning I call Dr. Desai to let him know that I had done my labs. So, several hours later he calls me. he said that my thyroid is fine but that my liver function has doubled in the last 3 weeks. We have a problem! So, he tells me that this may be caused by me being sick recently and all of the meds that they had me on and that the birth control pill that I am taking to regulate my period will definitely cause me to have an elevated amount of liver enzymes. He then tells me that he will be calling my OB/GYN (Dr. Cueto) to see what he wants to do about the birth control because as far as Dr. Desai is concerned, he wants me to stop it NOW. 5 minutes later, Dr. Cueto calls. He tells me that my liver function is way too high and I need to stop taking bc today. I then beg him to allow me to go on Depo Provera so that I do not start bleeding uncontrollably again. After a bit of hesitation, he decides to let me do it. So now I am completely off of bc pills.
I am supposed to have my blood re drawn in a couple of weeks to see what is going on with it. I am praying that everything turns out ok. I want to have this surgery so badly and so to not have it would devastate me. I am trying to remember that Heavenly Father's will is what is going to happen. Sometimes it is just so hard when you want your own will to be done!
Anyway, at this point, insurance has the paperwork. I hope and pray that they will approve the surgery quickly and that I am able to move forward onto this journey!
On the 23rd of December, I was finally able to have my labs drawn. I had gone by several times on my way to work, but they were really crowded and so I had to keep coming back. Finally I had it done so that was good. The technician took tons of blood. The final count was 17 vials!
On January 4, I had to go see the doctor again to go over my labs and to submit the authorization to insurance. Man was this appointment shocking! The first issue was that I am completely vitamin deficient in all areas except calcium. So I have to start taking vitamins. Then it came to my liver function, my levels were elevated. Then came my thyroid! OMGosh! The PA proceeds to tell me that my test results for my thyroid are disturbing and that I need to go see my PCP to figure out what the issue is. They will not do surgery until my thyroid is ok. So, I am now crying. I have come so close and now I am at a standstill!!! The PA tells me that they will not submit to insurance until this is cleared up. Apparently she felt bad for me because she left the room to go talk to the insurance girl. She comes back in and says that they will submit to insurance but they will not move forward with surgery until I am all clear. (insurance approval can take 60 days) So, she also tells me that she will call my PCP to let him know the status of things. I also call my PCP.
About an hour later, I hear from my PCP (Dr. Desai). Dr. Desai tells me that the test results make no sense. The contradict each other. He wants me to retake them. So, that night, I had my labs drawn.
Yesterday morning I call Dr. Desai to let him know that I had done my labs. So, several hours later he calls me. he said that my thyroid is fine but that my liver function has doubled in the last 3 weeks. We have a problem! So, he tells me that this may be caused by me being sick recently and all of the meds that they had me on and that the birth control pill that I am taking to regulate my period will definitely cause me to have an elevated amount of liver enzymes. He then tells me that he will be calling my OB/GYN (Dr. Cueto) to see what he wants to do about the birth control because as far as Dr. Desai is concerned, he wants me to stop it NOW. 5 minutes later, Dr. Cueto calls. He tells me that my liver function is way too high and I need to stop taking bc today. I then beg him to allow me to go on Depo Provera so that I do not start bleeding uncontrollably again. After a bit of hesitation, he decides to let me do it. So now I am completely off of bc pills.
I am supposed to have my blood re drawn in a couple of weeks to see what is going on with it. I am praying that everything turns out ok. I want to have this surgery so badly and so to not have it would devastate me. I am trying to remember that Heavenly Father's will is what is going to happen. Sometimes it is just so hard when you want your own will to be done!
Anyway, at this point, insurance has the paperwork. I hope and pray that they will approve the surgery quickly and that I am able to move forward onto this journey!
Tuesday, December 15, 2009
First Post
I had my gastric bypass consultation appointment with Dr. Jeffrey Jenkins on Friday, December 11th at 10 AM. I was so excited and nervous. The first order of business was the weigh in....270Lbs! I am so devastated that I have allowed myself to get to this point. It is so humiliating!
So then I meet with Dr. Jenkins (we go to church together so I was not nervous at all about speaking with him). We spoke about the surgery, my medical history & my weight loss goals. I would be content at 150. We decided that I am going to get the gastric bypass rather than the Lap Band. I do not want the band!! He said that I am not required to lose any weight before surgery, but he does not want me to gain either. He told me that I needed to meet with the dietitian & have labs done. That's it! I do not need to have a Psychological Evaluation unless my insurance requires it! Woo Hoo!!! He told me that if I am able to get my pre op stuff done quickly, I can have surgery as soon as January! OMGosh! That means that I could be out of plus size clothes by Christmas next year!!
As soon as I got into the car after leaving the office, I called the dietitian to make an appointment. She was out of the office until Monday!
Monday comes and I get in touch with the dietitian and she is able to get me in on Thursday!! I am going to be having my labs drawn on Wednesday. I am so excited. This is moving so fast!
I will post after I meet with the Dietitian!
So then I meet with Dr. Jenkins (we go to church together so I was not nervous at all about speaking with him). We spoke about the surgery, my medical history & my weight loss goals. I would be content at 150. We decided that I am going to get the gastric bypass rather than the Lap Band. I do not want the band!! He said that I am not required to lose any weight before surgery, but he does not want me to gain either. He told me that I needed to meet with the dietitian & have labs done. That's it! I do not need to have a Psychological Evaluation unless my insurance requires it! Woo Hoo!!! He told me that if I am able to get my pre op stuff done quickly, I can have surgery as soon as January! OMGosh! That means that I could be out of plus size clothes by Christmas next year!!
As soon as I got into the car after leaving the office, I called the dietitian to make an appointment. She was out of the office until Monday!
Monday comes and I get in touch with the dietitian and she is able to get me in on Thursday!! I am going to be having my labs drawn on Wednesday. I am so excited. This is moving so fast!
I will post after I meet with the Dietitian!
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